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TRAVEL & TOURISM
UPDATE IS
PUBLISHED BY THE
NORTH CAROLINA
DIVISION OF
TOURISM,
FILM AND SPORTS
DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE SEND
COMMENTS
OR NEWS ITEMS
FOR POSSIBLE
PUBLICATION TO
THE TRAVEL UPDATE,
4324 MAIL SERVICE
CENTER, RALEIGH, NC
27699-4324 PHONE:
(919)733-4171
FAX: (919)733-8582
Q U A R T E R L Y
UW IPN TDE RA 2T0 E0E4
“DURHAM GRILL”
TO BEGIN FILMING
IN SUMMER 2004
2004 NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR’S
CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
The NC Division of Tourism,
Film and Sports Development
will hold its annual Governor’s
Conference on Tourism at the
Westin Charlotte, April 5-7.
This year, keynote speaker
Ed Barlow, CEO of Creating
the Future Inc., will open the
conference with his presenta-tion
entitled, “Creating a
Competitive Economic Advan-tage
Through Tourism.” Busi-ness
analyst Delos Smith will
follow up with a presentation entitled, “Business As Usual in Times That
Aren’t.” The conference also features an open forum
on important issues facing the tourism industry. For
more information, including registration instruc-tions,
visit the Governor’s Conference Web site
at www.nccommerce.com/tourism/govconf.
The Westin Charlotte
Durham production company TVSouth is
scheduled to begin filming a $6 million
feature comedy titled Durham Grill in the
Bull City starting in mid-summer 2004.
Written by native North Carolinian Clyde
Edgerton and Hollywood screenwriter John
Schulian, the film is based on a group of
Durhamites who thwart the development
plans that some slick New Yorkers have for
their hometown. While the movie’s budget
is not as large as some of the major motion
pictures filmed in North Carolina, such as
The Last of the Mohicans and Black Knight,
NC Film Commissioner Bill Arnold says
that Durham Grill will be just as important
to the state’s film industry. TVSouth, which
is responsible for producing such hits as
Bull Durham and Tequila Sunrise, will work
with Los Angeles-based RKO Pictures to
produce the film.
NORTH CAROLINA
TOURISM DAY SET
FOR MAY 11
Join the NC Division of Tourism, the Travel
Industry Association of NC, state legislators
and other representatives of the North
Carolina tourism industry as they celebrate
the state’s annual Tourism Day Fair on
Tuesday, May11, on the Halifax Mall in
downtown Raleigh. This event is intended
to emphasize and promote a wider under-standing
of the importance of travel and
tourism as a major industry, which is vital
to the economic stability and growth of
our state and local communities. It is one
of the many festivities surrounding National
Tourism Week scheduled for May 8-16.
For more information, contact Donna
Daughtry at 919/715-6703, or by email
at ddaughtry@nccommerce.com.
Thousands of visitors flocked to the Wright Brothers National Memorial
in Kill Devil Hills during the First Flight Centennial Celebration in
December. The park opened for a weeklong event featuring air shows,
displays, live music and entertainment, culminating with a re-enactment
of man’s first powered flight. The centennial celebration brought world-wide
attention to North Carolina and the Outer Banks, and according
to the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the five-day event generated more
than $14.4 million in visitor expenditures.
FIRST FLIGHT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NC DIVISION OF
TOURISM 2004
PUBLICATIONS
NOW AVAILABLE
ARE YOU GETTING
THE NEWSLINK?
In 2003, the travel and tourism industry as a whole continued
to see its ups and downs. North Carolina, in particular,
was able to maintain its position among the leading tourism
destinations in the U.S. Despite several hurdles along the
way, including the war in Iraq, an elevated terror alert in the
early part of the year and the extensive damage caused by
Hurricane Isabel in September, the state’s tourism industry
continues to maintain its influence in key markets.
Despite the challenges, the NC Division of Tourism, Film and
Sports Development and its industry partners accomplished a
great deal in 2003. Together, we helped secure a new direct
air service between Charlotte and Germany through Lufthansa
Airlines. We also launched new per-inquiry television and internet programs and filmed
three new commercials to promote the state. We opened a new Welcome Center at I-26 in
Madison County and installed touch-screen kiosks at all of our Welcome Centers. We hosted
conventions for ESTO and the National Tour Association, helped achieve national recognition
for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, brought the television program One Tree Hill to
Wilmington, and generated $42.4 million in media coverage. We also took part in one of
the most highly anticipated events ever, where thousands of people descended upon the
Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills to celebrate the 100th anniversary of
powered flight.
As we look forward to 2004, we still have a great deal to be excited about. The 2004
advertising campaign will consist of more partnership opportunities than ever before,
including newspapers, magazines, per-inquiry television and per-inquiry internet options.
Our Web site, publications and sales programs will also offer opportunities for partnership.
We look forward to having another fantastic Governor’s Conference in Charlotte, as well
as continued success with our Tourism Day Fair in Raleigh. And we would like to thank all
of our partners for their assistance with these programs.
We also look forward to beginning a new relationship with the NC motorsports industry
and kicking it into high gear. Our state features over 50 racetracks, including Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord and the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, which host some
of the biggest races on the NASCAR circuit. North Carolina is also home to over 1,000
motorsports related businesses including corporate headquarters, testing facilities, memorials
and museums. The North Carolina Motorsports Association estimates the industry’s economic
impact in NC at nearly $2 billion, and we are eager to help promote motorsports as part of
our state’s heritage and economic well being. A recent study by racing economists in England
estimate that the overall economic value of American motorsports will climb 34 percent to
$22 billion in 2007, and since North Carolina represents approximately 10 percent of US
motorsports industry this looks to be a tremendous opportunity for the entire state.
Indeed, 2004 will be a year of picking up where we left off and taking it to the next level.
We encourage all of our tourism partners to join with us as we continue to promote our state
as a unique travel destination, and discover new ways to boost our industry’s message. We
thank you for your support, and we look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Lynn D. Minges
Executive Director
LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF 2004
By: Lynn Minges, Executive Director
The NC Division of Tourism announced the
release of its 2004 publications at a press
conference December8, at the Folk Art Center
in Asheville. The 2004
Official North Carolina
Travel Guide, which
features a spectacular
shot of the Linn Cove
Viaduct on the Blue Ridge
Parkway on the cover,
includes information on
over 700 attractions
and more than 3,700
accommodations across the state. The 2004
Official North Carolina Golf Guide includes
information on over 400 public and semi-private
golf courses across the state, and features a
cover shot of the 18th
hole at Tobacco Road in
Tramway. The January-
June edition of the 2004
Calendar of Events
features information on
over 970 events. Some
700,000 Travel Guides,
200,000 Golf Guides
and 275,000 Calendars
of Events will be available through the state’s
nine Welcome Centers, sent to callers of
1-800-VISIT NC, ordered by surfers at
www.visitnc.com, and distributed at travel trade
shows worldwide. The July-December 2004
Calendar of Events will be available in May.
Every Wednesday, the Division produces a
weekly electronic publication that is designed to
provide information to tourism industry leaders
across the state in a timely fashion. It is emailed
weekly to over 1,000 people and includes infor-mation
on tourism-related research, statewide
and international trends, media leads, updates
on conferences and events and much more. It
is free of charge and available to anyone with
a valid email address. To subscribe, go to
www.nccommerce.com/tourism/newsletter, or
contact Publications Director Chip Bremer at
cbremer@nccommerce.com.
SUCCESS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA
SALES & TRADE DEVELOPMENT NEWS
German-based Lufthansa Airlines has selected Charlotte as their newest
gateway to the US by introducing a non-stop service between Charlotte
Douglas International Airport and Munich International Airport which
began March 26. The new flights will mark the second non-stop service
between North Carolina and Germany (as US Airways currently
operates direct flights between Charlotte and Frankfurt). To celebrate
the new service, Lufthansa ran a special introductory airfare in December.
The new service will open a dense network of US connections for
Lufthansa, which has not operated a direct flight service to Charlotte
since 1992. The new connection with Charlotte offers Lufthansa, which
already has one of the most extensive global networks of any major
airline, an opportunity to expand its business to 436 new destinations,
including several stops in North Carolina.
The NC Department of Commerce, the NC Division of Tourism, the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the VISIT Charlotte Convention
and Visitors Bureau have also been instrumental in bringing the
Lufthansa service to Charlotte. North Carolina has been actively
marketing in Germany, Switzerland and Austria since 1994, and is
currently featured in more than 50 major tour operator brochures from
these countries. The state also maintains a marketing partnership with
Munich-based Mangum Management to promote the state to potential
German, Swiss and Austrian travelers.
THE FOLLOWING ARE FIVE FACTS THAT
OUTLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIVISION’S
EFFORTS IN EUROPE
(From the Travel Industry Association report, Europe Travel Demand:
Trends and Insights, 2003 Edition):
1. Outbound travel from Europe has grown over 36 percent in the
past decade, from 229 million world arrivals in 1993 to an
estimated 315 million world arrivals in 2003.
2. Europe is the most important inbound travel market for the United
States. In 2002, the region generated 45 percent of all overseas
arrivals to the US, totaling over 8.6 million.
3. With a long-haul market share of 19 percent in 2002, the US is
by far the most popular country destination for travelers from the
European Union.
4. Europe is the largest source of international travel spending in the
US. Europeans spent a total of $22.9 billion in the US in 2002.
5. In 2002, two-thirds of all European travelers to the US visited for
leisure purposes citing vacation or holiday (43 percent) or visiting
friends or relatives (23 percent) as their main purpose of travel.
HISTORY CHANNEL UK COMPETITION RECEIVES
RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES
The NC Division of Tourism, in partnership with the History Channel,
US Airways, Dollar Rent A Car and several industry partners, recently
sponsored a competition to win a seven-night holiday to North Carolina.
The three-week promotion received a record 2,200 entries, reflecting
the largest number of responses the site has previously received in a
competition. In addition to promoting the competition on their website
and through an e-newsletter to 10,000 aviation buffs, the History
Channel broadcast television programs in December and January, high-lighting
the 100th Anniversary of Flight. The seven-night prize package to
North Carolina included overnight stays in Charlotte, Raleigh, the Outer
Banks, Wrightsville Beach and Fayetteville. Industry partners provided
hotel accommodations, attraction tickets, restaurant gift certificates and
shopping certificates to the family of four. US Airways provided four
airline tickets and car rental was arranged through Dollar Rent A Car.
DIVISION HOSTS SUCCESSFUL UK
FAMILIARIZATION TOUR
As part of the ongoing efforts to promote North Carolina as a tour
destination, the Division hosted a group of United Kingdom product
managers on a familiarization tour of the NC mountains and heartland,
November 29-December 3. The participants were decision-making
managers from top tour companies in the UK, visiting Cabarrus County,
Rutherford County, Buncombe County and Forsyth County on a five-day
“Mountain Fairytale Christmas” tour. The participants experienced
several activities including a cruise on Lake Lure, a visit to Chimney Rock
Park, a horse-drawn carriage ride in downtown Forest City, a tour of the
Biltmore Estate, a drive through Tanglewood Celebration of Lights and
a lap around Lowe’s Motor Speedway. US Airways partnered with the
Division by providing airline seats for the participants.
CANADIAN SALES MISSION IN TORONTO
HIGHLIGHTS NC MOTORSPORTS
The Division spearheaded a Canadian Sales Mission in February that
provided unique opportunities to educate Toronto’s travel industry face-to-
face on the “sell features” of North Carolina. During the three-day
mission, participants paired up to make sales calls to area tour planners
and media. The week’s events included a reception, trade show and
luncheon co-hosted by the North Carolina Association of Convention &
Visitors Bureaus. Attendance to the “North Carolina Shin-dig II” was
by invitation only for qualified tour operators and media. Eight tourism
partners joined Division representatives on the sales mission.
NC PRAISED FOR OUTSTANDING NTA EVENT
The NC Division of Tourism would like to thank all the representatives of
North Carolina’s tourism industry who helped make the National Tour
Association convention in Charlotte, November 14 -18, one of the most
successful conventions ever held. Nearly 2,500 tour operators and
tour suppliers convened in the Queen City to conduct business, enjoy
local hospitality and learn more about North Carolina and the Charlotte
area. Over 50 venues from across the state participated in the opening
evening function at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, in which “A Drive Through
North Carolina” gave delegates an opportunity to see first-hand the
variety of hands-on experiences our state has to offer visitors. Six pre-and
post-convention familiarization tours took 150 delegates to six
Since its premier in July 2003, UNC-TV’s
“North Carolina Weekend” has
become one of the network’s most
successful programs. Underwritten by
the NC Division of Tourism, the show
features the best that North Carolina
has to offer its visitors. Episodes
have featured several attractions
across the state, from lighthouses to
ski resorts to museums. The program
is consistently averaging a 1.6 rating,
which exceeds the PBS primetime
national average, and has received
nearly 29,000 visits to its Web site in
2003. The show, which airs Thursday
nights at 9 p.m., and re-airs Fridays
at 8 p.m., has become extremely
popular with teachers who have requested tapes to show segments
in their classrooms. The ratings for both the Thursday and Friday
evening shows have steadily grown, doing especially well in the
Raleigh/Durham and Piedmont areas. For more information, visit
www.unctv.org/ncweekend.
Each week, host Marla Roth offers
another slice of Carolina recreational
life on “North Carolina Weekend.”
“NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND”
“COLD MOUNTAIN” FEATURED
ON VISITNC.COM
In conjunction with the Christmas release of the epic film adaptation
of Cold Mountain staring Reneé Zellweger, Nicole Kidman and
Jude Law, the NC Division of Tourism featured the “Real Cold
Mountain” on the main page of the visitnc.com mountain regional
homepage. Based on the award-winning book by Charles Frazier
that details the journey of a Civil War soldier across the state of
North Carolina, the Cold Mountain film has helped to generate
significant interest in the state. As the unique North Carolina locations
featured in the movie continue to draw attention, several of the
state’s mountain destinations will be prepared to welcome visitors
who want to see the real Cold Mountain along with the beauty
and splendor of western NC after seeing the movie. The feature
article on the Web page includes details of the mountain’s history,
attractions and most spectacular views, as well as various movie
and book links. To view the Cold Mountain feature, visit www.visit
nc.com/mnts/mnts_article.asp?articleid=605&sectiongroupid=1.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Teresa Watts has accepted the position of Heritage Tourism
Manager at the NC Division of Tourism. In addition to her
continued work in the German market, she will now oversee the
efforts of the Division’s nine Heritage Tourism officers across the
state. Teresa has served with the Division for 18 years in numerous
capacities, and her talents and expertise are welcomed additions
to the Heritage Tourism program. She can be reached at
twatts@nccommerce.com.
On February 1, Greer Beaty left her position as Public Relations
Manager at the Division to join the Public Information Team of the
NC Partnership for Children. Since joining the Division in Nov.
2001, Greer has contributed significantly to the efforts of the NC
travel and tourism industry. Her energy, enthusiasm and team
spirit will be missed, but she leaves behind many imprints that will
continue to help make our organization strong and NC a better
place to be. We will miss Greer and wish her all the best in her
new role.
The Division’s Chris Mackey
and Alison Couper, of Cellet
Public Relations, at World
Travel Market in London,
November 2003. Tour
operators, travel agents
and the travel media were
treated to Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts at the North
Carolina booth daily. Krispy
Kreme’s first European retail
store is located exclusively
at Harrods in London.
regions of the state, resulting in immediate bookings for future
tours. Also, nearly 900 delegates participated in local sightseeing
tours. Comments from delegates were overwhelmingly positive regarding
the beauty of the state, the variety of offerings in tourism and the
cleanliness of North Carolina. Our tourism industry can be proud of
a job well done that will have lasting effects for years to come.
DIVISION TAKES PART IN AMERICAN BUS
ASSOCIATION CONVENTION
The Division, along with 21 other North Carolina tourism promoters,
participated in the American Bus Association Convention held in
New York City in January. Leads from 39 scheduled appointments
with ABA tour operator members may be found by accessing our
Commerce Web site at www.nccommerce.com/tourism/marketing.
CRYSTAL COAST IS PRIZE DESTINATION OF
UK PROMOTION
The Carteret County Tourism Development Authority, in partnership with
the NC Division of Tourism, was featured in a promotion of the movie
Pirates of the Caribbean during the movie’s premier in the United Kingdom
in August 2003. The promotion, conducted by the Odeon Theatres of
London, was a marketing opportunity that featured both North Carolina
and the Crystal Coast, a destination with a touch of pirate history. The
Pirates of the Caribbean promotion included distribution of over 40,000
postcards to theatre patrons in the London area. The winner of the UK
competition received two night’s oceanfront accommodations at the
Royal Pavilion Resort in Atlantic Beach, along with a five night stay in
Barbados. US Airways provided round trip air passage for two.
The North Carolina Division of Tourism,
Film and Sports Development is committed
to a high level of communication with
the taxpayers of North Carolina, the
North Carolina travel industry and related
businesses, and the traveling public.
We encourage you to share this
publication with other members
of your staff and community.
TRAVEL & TOURISM UPDATE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DIVISION OF TOURISM,
FILM AND
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
4324 MAIL SERVICE CENTER
RALEIGH, NC 27699-4324
WWW.VISITNC.COM
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
RALEIGH, NC
PERMIT NO 1095
NC TRAVEL TRACKER: 2003 YEAR END
Categories 2003 Totals 2002 Totals +/- Year
Top 25 NC Attractions 44,700,113 57,555,105 -22.3%
Airport Deplanements 18,732,601 17,999,502 4.1%
Airport Enplanements 17,310,221 17,936,242 -3.5%
Hotel/Motel Occupancy 55.8 55.3 0.9%
Average Daily Room Rate $65.56 $65.15 0.6%
Revenue Per Available Room $36.59 $36.01 1.6%
State Welcome Centers 9,567,148 9,225,198 3.7%
Regional Visitor Centers 3,191,666 3,028,146 5.4%
State Parks 11,199,997 13,626,588 -17.8%
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Event Date Location
APRIL
NC Governor’s Conference on Tourism Apr. 5-7, 2004 Charlotte, NC (Westin)
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Apr. 15-16, 2004 Rock Hill, SC (Trade-show)
International Pow Wow Apr. 24-28, 2004 Los Angeles, CA
MAY
North Carolina Film Council May 4, 2004 Winston-Salem, NC
National Tourism Week May 8-16, 2004 Nationwide
North Carolina Tourism Day May 11, 2004 Raleigh, NC
NC Travel & Tourism Board May 11, 2004 Raleigh, NC
JUNE
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter June 3-4, 2004 Myrtle Beach, SC (Annual Meeting)
NC Golf Marketing Alliance June 10, 2004 Greensboro, NC
NCACVB-Annual Meeting June 10-11, 2004 Greensboro, NC
Association Executives of NC Annual Meeting June 13-15, 2004 Asheville, NC
STS Summer Board Meeting June 19-21, 2004 TBA
AUGUST
STS Marketing College Aug. 1-6, 2004 Dahlonega, GA
NCACVB Aug. 5-7, 2004 TBA
American Society of Association Executives Aug. 14-17, 2004 Minneapolis, MN
North Carolina Film Council Aug. 18, 2004 Asheville, NC
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Aug. 19-20, 2004 Southern Pines, NC
ESTO Conference Aug. 21-24, 2004 Boston, MA
SEPTEMBER
HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Sept. 8-9, 2004 Washington, DC Convention Center
Mid-Year Marketing Update Sept. 14, 2004 Raleigh, NC
NC Travel & Tourism Board Sept. 14, 2004 Raleigh, NC
OCTOBER
Travel Council of NC Tourism Leadership Conference Oct. 2004 TBA
Cycle North Carolina Oct. 2-9, 2004 Sparta to Olympia, NC
NCACVB Oct. 7-8, 2004 TBA
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Oct. 14-15, 2004 Greenville, SC
TIA’s Marketing Outlook Forum Oct. 27-29, 2004 Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
NOVEMBER
Ontario Motorcoach Association Nov. 7-10, 2004 Sheraton, Downtown Toronto, Can.
World Travel Market Nov. 8-11, 2004 ExCel, London, UK
NTA’s Annual Convention Nov. 12-16, 2004 Toronto, Ontario
NC Travel & Tourism Board Nov. 16, 2004 Raleigh, NC
DECEMBER
NCACVB Dec. 2-3, 2004 TBA
Association Executives of NC Mid-year Meeting and Trade Show Dec. 8-9, 2004 TBA
North Carolina Film Council Dec. 15, 2004 Raleigh, NC

TRAVEL & TOURISM
UPDATE IS
PUBLISHED BY THE
NORTH CAROLINA
DIVISION OF
TOURISM,
FILM AND SPORTS
DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE SEND
COMMENTS
OR NEWS ITEMS
FOR POSSIBLE
PUBLICATION TO
THE TRAVEL UPDATE,
4324 MAIL SERVICE
CENTER, RALEIGH, NC
27699-4324 PHONE:
(919)733-4171
FAX: (919)733-8582
Q U A R T E R L Y
UW IPN TDE RA 2T0 E0E4
“DURHAM GRILL”
TO BEGIN FILMING
IN SUMMER 2004
2004 NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR’S
CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
The NC Division of Tourism,
Film and Sports Development
will hold its annual Governor’s
Conference on Tourism at the
Westin Charlotte, April 5-7.
This year, keynote speaker
Ed Barlow, CEO of Creating
the Future Inc., will open the
conference with his presenta-tion
entitled, “Creating a
Competitive Economic Advan-tage
Through Tourism.” Busi-ness
analyst Delos Smith will
follow up with a presentation entitled, “Business As Usual in Times That
Aren’t.” The conference also features an open forum
on important issues facing the tourism industry. For
more information, including registration instruc-tions,
visit the Governor’s Conference Web site
at www.nccommerce.com/tourism/govconf.
The Westin Charlotte
Durham production company TVSouth is
scheduled to begin filming a $6 million
feature comedy titled Durham Grill in the
Bull City starting in mid-summer 2004.
Written by native North Carolinian Clyde
Edgerton and Hollywood screenwriter John
Schulian, the film is based on a group of
Durhamites who thwart the development
plans that some slick New Yorkers have for
their hometown. While the movie’s budget
is not as large as some of the major motion
pictures filmed in North Carolina, such as
The Last of the Mohicans and Black Knight,
NC Film Commissioner Bill Arnold says
that Durham Grill will be just as important
to the state’s film industry. TVSouth, which
is responsible for producing such hits as
Bull Durham and Tequila Sunrise, will work
with Los Angeles-based RKO Pictures to
produce the film.
NORTH CAROLINA
TOURISM DAY SET
FOR MAY 11
Join the NC Division of Tourism, the Travel
Industry Association of NC, state legislators
and other representatives of the North
Carolina tourism industry as they celebrate
the state’s annual Tourism Day Fair on
Tuesday, May11, on the Halifax Mall in
downtown Raleigh. This event is intended
to emphasize and promote a wider under-standing
of the importance of travel and
tourism as a major industry, which is vital
to the economic stability and growth of
our state and local communities. It is one
of the many festivities surrounding National
Tourism Week scheduled for May 8-16.
For more information, contact Donna
Daughtry at 919/715-6703, or by email
at ddaughtry@nccommerce.com.
Thousands of visitors flocked to the Wright Brothers National Memorial
in Kill Devil Hills during the First Flight Centennial Celebration in
December. The park opened for a weeklong event featuring air shows,
displays, live music and entertainment, culminating with a re-enactment
of man’s first powered flight. The centennial celebration brought world-wide
attention to North Carolina and the Outer Banks, and according
to the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the five-day event generated more
than $14.4 million in visitor expenditures.
FIRST FLIGHT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NC DIVISION OF
TOURISM 2004
PUBLICATIONS
NOW AVAILABLE
ARE YOU GETTING
THE NEWSLINK?
In 2003, the travel and tourism industry as a whole continued
to see its ups and downs. North Carolina, in particular,
was able to maintain its position among the leading tourism
destinations in the U.S. Despite several hurdles along the
way, including the war in Iraq, an elevated terror alert in the
early part of the year and the extensive damage caused by
Hurricane Isabel in September, the state’s tourism industry
continues to maintain its influence in key markets.
Despite the challenges, the NC Division of Tourism, Film and
Sports Development and its industry partners accomplished a
great deal in 2003. Together, we helped secure a new direct
air service between Charlotte and Germany through Lufthansa
Airlines. We also launched new per-inquiry television and internet programs and filmed
three new commercials to promote the state. We opened a new Welcome Center at I-26 in
Madison County and installed touch-screen kiosks at all of our Welcome Centers. We hosted
conventions for ESTO and the National Tour Association, helped achieve national recognition
for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, brought the television program One Tree Hill to
Wilmington, and generated $42.4 million in media coverage. We also took part in one of
the most highly anticipated events ever, where thousands of people descended upon the
Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills to celebrate the 100th anniversary of
powered flight.
As we look forward to 2004, we still have a great deal to be excited about. The 2004
advertising campaign will consist of more partnership opportunities than ever before,
including newspapers, magazines, per-inquiry television and per-inquiry internet options.
Our Web site, publications and sales programs will also offer opportunities for partnership.
We look forward to having another fantastic Governor’s Conference in Charlotte, as well
as continued success with our Tourism Day Fair in Raleigh. And we would like to thank all
of our partners for their assistance with these programs.
We also look forward to beginning a new relationship with the NC motorsports industry
and kicking it into high gear. Our state features over 50 racetracks, including Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord and the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, which host some
of the biggest races on the NASCAR circuit. North Carolina is also home to over 1,000
motorsports related businesses including corporate headquarters, testing facilities, memorials
and museums. The North Carolina Motorsports Association estimates the industry’s economic
impact in NC at nearly $2 billion, and we are eager to help promote motorsports as part of
our state’s heritage and economic well being. A recent study by racing economists in England
estimate that the overall economic value of American motorsports will climb 34 percent to
$22 billion in 2007, and since North Carolina represents approximately 10 percent of US
motorsports industry this looks to be a tremendous opportunity for the entire state.
Indeed, 2004 will be a year of picking up where we left off and taking it to the next level.
We encourage all of our tourism partners to join with us as we continue to promote our state
as a unique travel destination, and discover new ways to boost our industry’s message. We
thank you for your support, and we look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Lynn D. Minges
Executive Director
LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF 2004
By: Lynn Minges, Executive Director
The NC Division of Tourism announced the
release of its 2004 publications at a press
conference December8, at the Folk Art Center
in Asheville. The 2004
Official North Carolina
Travel Guide, which
features a spectacular
shot of the Linn Cove
Viaduct on the Blue Ridge
Parkway on the cover,
includes information on
over 700 attractions
and more than 3,700
accommodations across the state. The 2004
Official North Carolina Golf Guide includes
information on over 400 public and semi-private
golf courses across the state, and features a
cover shot of the 18th
hole at Tobacco Road in
Tramway. The January-
June edition of the 2004
Calendar of Events
features information on
over 970 events. Some
700,000 Travel Guides,
200,000 Golf Guides
and 275,000 Calendars
of Events will be available through the state’s
nine Welcome Centers, sent to callers of
1-800-VISIT NC, ordered by surfers at
www.visitnc.com, and distributed at travel trade
shows worldwide. The July-December 2004
Calendar of Events will be available in May.
Every Wednesday, the Division produces a
weekly electronic publication that is designed to
provide information to tourism industry leaders
across the state in a timely fashion. It is emailed
weekly to over 1,000 people and includes infor-mation
on tourism-related research, statewide
and international trends, media leads, updates
on conferences and events and much more. It
is free of charge and available to anyone with
a valid email address. To subscribe, go to
www.nccommerce.com/tourism/newsletter, or
contact Publications Director Chip Bremer at
cbremer@nccommerce.com.
SUCCESS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA
SALES & TRADE DEVELOPMENT NEWS
German-based Lufthansa Airlines has selected Charlotte as their newest
gateway to the US by introducing a non-stop service between Charlotte
Douglas International Airport and Munich International Airport which
began March 26. The new flights will mark the second non-stop service
between North Carolina and Germany (as US Airways currently
operates direct flights between Charlotte and Frankfurt). To celebrate
the new service, Lufthansa ran a special introductory airfare in December.
The new service will open a dense network of US connections for
Lufthansa, which has not operated a direct flight service to Charlotte
since 1992. The new connection with Charlotte offers Lufthansa, which
already has one of the most extensive global networks of any major
airline, an opportunity to expand its business to 436 new destinations,
including several stops in North Carolina.
The NC Department of Commerce, the NC Division of Tourism, the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the VISIT Charlotte Convention
and Visitors Bureau have also been instrumental in bringing the
Lufthansa service to Charlotte. North Carolina has been actively
marketing in Germany, Switzerland and Austria since 1994, and is
currently featured in more than 50 major tour operator brochures from
these countries. The state also maintains a marketing partnership with
Munich-based Mangum Management to promote the state to potential
German, Swiss and Austrian travelers.
THE FOLLOWING ARE FIVE FACTS THAT
OUTLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIVISION’S
EFFORTS IN EUROPE
(From the Travel Industry Association report, Europe Travel Demand:
Trends and Insights, 2003 Edition):
1. Outbound travel from Europe has grown over 36 percent in the
past decade, from 229 million world arrivals in 1993 to an
estimated 315 million world arrivals in 2003.
2. Europe is the most important inbound travel market for the United
States. In 2002, the region generated 45 percent of all overseas
arrivals to the US, totaling over 8.6 million.
3. With a long-haul market share of 19 percent in 2002, the US is
by far the most popular country destination for travelers from the
European Union.
4. Europe is the largest source of international travel spending in the
US. Europeans spent a total of $22.9 billion in the US in 2002.
5. In 2002, two-thirds of all European travelers to the US visited for
leisure purposes citing vacation or holiday (43 percent) or visiting
friends or relatives (23 percent) as their main purpose of travel.
HISTORY CHANNEL UK COMPETITION RECEIVES
RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES
The NC Division of Tourism, in partnership with the History Channel,
US Airways, Dollar Rent A Car and several industry partners, recently
sponsored a competition to win a seven-night holiday to North Carolina.
The three-week promotion received a record 2,200 entries, reflecting
the largest number of responses the site has previously received in a
competition. In addition to promoting the competition on their website
and through an e-newsletter to 10,000 aviation buffs, the History
Channel broadcast television programs in December and January, high-lighting
the 100th Anniversary of Flight. The seven-night prize package to
North Carolina included overnight stays in Charlotte, Raleigh, the Outer
Banks, Wrightsville Beach and Fayetteville. Industry partners provided
hotel accommodations, attraction tickets, restaurant gift certificates and
shopping certificates to the family of four. US Airways provided four
airline tickets and car rental was arranged through Dollar Rent A Car.
DIVISION HOSTS SUCCESSFUL UK
FAMILIARIZATION TOUR
As part of the ongoing efforts to promote North Carolina as a tour
destination, the Division hosted a group of United Kingdom product
managers on a familiarization tour of the NC mountains and heartland,
November 29-December 3. The participants were decision-making
managers from top tour companies in the UK, visiting Cabarrus County,
Rutherford County, Buncombe County and Forsyth County on a five-day
“Mountain Fairytale Christmas” tour. The participants experienced
several activities including a cruise on Lake Lure, a visit to Chimney Rock
Park, a horse-drawn carriage ride in downtown Forest City, a tour of the
Biltmore Estate, a drive through Tanglewood Celebration of Lights and
a lap around Lowe’s Motor Speedway. US Airways partnered with the
Division by providing airline seats for the participants.
CANADIAN SALES MISSION IN TORONTO
HIGHLIGHTS NC MOTORSPORTS
The Division spearheaded a Canadian Sales Mission in February that
provided unique opportunities to educate Toronto’s travel industry face-to-
face on the “sell features” of North Carolina. During the three-day
mission, participants paired up to make sales calls to area tour planners
and media. The week’s events included a reception, trade show and
luncheon co-hosted by the North Carolina Association of Convention &
Visitors Bureaus. Attendance to the “North Carolina Shin-dig II” was
by invitation only for qualified tour operators and media. Eight tourism
partners joined Division representatives on the sales mission.
NC PRAISED FOR OUTSTANDING NTA EVENT
The NC Division of Tourism would like to thank all the representatives of
North Carolina’s tourism industry who helped make the National Tour
Association convention in Charlotte, November 14 -18, one of the most
successful conventions ever held. Nearly 2,500 tour operators and
tour suppliers convened in the Queen City to conduct business, enjoy
local hospitality and learn more about North Carolina and the Charlotte
area. Over 50 venues from across the state participated in the opening
evening function at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, in which “A Drive Through
North Carolina” gave delegates an opportunity to see first-hand the
variety of hands-on experiences our state has to offer visitors. Six pre-and
post-convention familiarization tours took 150 delegates to six
Since its premier in July 2003, UNC-TV’s
“North Carolina Weekend” has
become one of the network’s most
successful programs. Underwritten by
the NC Division of Tourism, the show
features the best that North Carolina
has to offer its visitors. Episodes
have featured several attractions
across the state, from lighthouses to
ski resorts to museums. The program
is consistently averaging a 1.6 rating,
which exceeds the PBS primetime
national average, and has received
nearly 29,000 visits to its Web site in
2003. The show, which airs Thursday
nights at 9 p.m., and re-airs Fridays
at 8 p.m., has become extremely
popular with teachers who have requested tapes to show segments
in their classrooms. The ratings for both the Thursday and Friday
evening shows have steadily grown, doing especially well in the
Raleigh/Durham and Piedmont areas. For more information, visit
www.unctv.org/ncweekend.
Each week, host Marla Roth offers
another slice of Carolina recreational
life on “North Carolina Weekend.”
“NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND”
“COLD MOUNTAIN” FEATURED
ON VISITNC.COM
In conjunction with the Christmas release of the epic film adaptation
of Cold Mountain staring Reneé Zellweger, Nicole Kidman and
Jude Law, the NC Division of Tourism featured the “Real Cold
Mountain” on the main page of the visitnc.com mountain regional
homepage. Based on the award-winning book by Charles Frazier
that details the journey of a Civil War soldier across the state of
North Carolina, the Cold Mountain film has helped to generate
significant interest in the state. As the unique North Carolina locations
featured in the movie continue to draw attention, several of the
state’s mountain destinations will be prepared to welcome visitors
who want to see the real Cold Mountain along with the beauty
and splendor of western NC after seeing the movie. The feature
article on the Web page includes details of the mountain’s history,
attractions and most spectacular views, as well as various movie
and book links. To view the Cold Mountain feature, visit www.visit
nc.com/mnts/mnts_article.asp?articleid=605&sectiongroupid=1.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Teresa Watts has accepted the position of Heritage Tourism
Manager at the NC Division of Tourism. In addition to her
continued work in the German market, she will now oversee the
efforts of the Division’s nine Heritage Tourism officers across the
state. Teresa has served with the Division for 18 years in numerous
capacities, and her talents and expertise are welcomed additions
to the Heritage Tourism program. She can be reached at
twatts@nccommerce.com.
On February 1, Greer Beaty left her position as Public Relations
Manager at the Division to join the Public Information Team of the
NC Partnership for Children. Since joining the Division in Nov.
2001, Greer has contributed significantly to the efforts of the NC
travel and tourism industry. Her energy, enthusiasm and team
spirit will be missed, but she leaves behind many imprints that will
continue to help make our organization strong and NC a better
place to be. We will miss Greer and wish her all the best in her
new role.
The Division’s Chris Mackey
and Alison Couper, of Cellet
Public Relations, at World
Travel Market in London,
November 2003. Tour
operators, travel agents
and the travel media were
treated to Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts at the North
Carolina booth daily. Krispy
Kreme’s first European retail
store is located exclusively
at Harrods in London.
regions of the state, resulting in immediate bookings for future
tours. Also, nearly 900 delegates participated in local sightseeing
tours. Comments from delegates were overwhelmingly positive regarding
the beauty of the state, the variety of offerings in tourism and the
cleanliness of North Carolina. Our tourism industry can be proud of
a job well done that will have lasting effects for years to come.
DIVISION TAKES PART IN AMERICAN BUS
ASSOCIATION CONVENTION
The Division, along with 21 other North Carolina tourism promoters,
participated in the American Bus Association Convention held in
New York City in January. Leads from 39 scheduled appointments
with ABA tour operator members may be found by accessing our
Commerce Web site at www.nccommerce.com/tourism/marketing.
CRYSTAL COAST IS PRIZE DESTINATION OF
UK PROMOTION
The Carteret County Tourism Development Authority, in partnership with
the NC Division of Tourism, was featured in a promotion of the movie
Pirates of the Caribbean during the movie’s premier in the United Kingdom
in August 2003. The promotion, conducted by the Odeon Theatres of
London, was a marketing opportunity that featured both North Carolina
and the Crystal Coast, a destination with a touch of pirate history. The
Pirates of the Caribbean promotion included distribution of over 40,000
postcards to theatre patrons in the London area. The winner of the UK
competition received two night’s oceanfront accommodations at the
Royal Pavilion Resort in Atlantic Beach, along with a five night stay in
Barbados. US Airways provided round trip air passage for two.
The North Carolina Division of Tourism,
Film and Sports Development is committed
to a high level of communication with
the taxpayers of North Carolina, the
North Carolina travel industry and related
businesses, and the traveling public.
We encourage you to share this
publication with other members
of your staff and community.
TRAVEL & TOURISM UPDATE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DIVISION OF TOURISM,
FILM AND
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
4324 MAIL SERVICE CENTER
RALEIGH, NC 27699-4324
WWW.VISITNC.COM
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
RALEIGH, NC
PERMIT NO 1095
NC TRAVEL TRACKER: 2003 YEAR END
Categories 2003 Totals 2002 Totals +/- Year
Top 25 NC Attractions 44,700,113 57,555,105 -22.3%
Airport Deplanements 18,732,601 17,999,502 4.1%
Airport Enplanements 17,310,221 17,936,242 -3.5%
Hotel/Motel Occupancy 55.8 55.3 0.9%
Average Daily Room Rate $65.56 $65.15 0.6%
Revenue Per Available Room $36.59 $36.01 1.6%
State Welcome Centers 9,567,148 9,225,198 3.7%
Regional Visitor Centers 3,191,666 3,028,146 5.4%
State Parks 11,199,997 13,626,588 -17.8%
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Event Date Location
APRIL
NC Governor’s Conference on Tourism Apr. 5-7, 2004 Charlotte, NC (Westin)
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Apr. 15-16, 2004 Rock Hill, SC (Trade-show)
International Pow Wow Apr. 24-28, 2004 Los Angeles, CA
MAY
North Carolina Film Council May 4, 2004 Winston-Salem, NC
National Tourism Week May 8-16, 2004 Nationwide
North Carolina Tourism Day May 11, 2004 Raleigh, NC
NC Travel & Tourism Board May 11, 2004 Raleigh, NC
JUNE
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter June 3-4, 2004 Myrtle Beach, SC (Annual Meeting)
NC Golf Marketing Alliance June 10, 2004 Greensboro, NC
NCACVB-Annual Meeting June 10-11, 2004 Greensboro, NC
Association Executives of NC Annual Meeting June 13-15, 2004 Asheville, NC
STS Summer Board Meeting June 19-21, 2004 TBA
AUGUST
STS Marketing College Aug. 1-6, 2004 Dahlonega, GA
NCACVB Aug. 5-7, 2004 TBA
American Society of Association Executives Aug. 14-17, 2004 Minneapolis, MN
North Carolina Film Council Aug. 18, 2004 Asheville, NC
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Aug. 19-20, 2004 Southern Pines, NC
ESTO Conference Aug. 21-24, 2004 Boston, MA
SEPTEMBER
HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Sept. 8-9, 2004 Washington, DC Convention Center
Mid-Year Marketing Update Sept. 14, 2004 Raleigh, NC
NC Travel & Tourism Board Sept. 14, 2004 Raleigh, NC
OCTOBER
Travel Council of NC Tourism Leadership Conference Oct. 2004 TBA
Cycle North Carolina Oct. 2-9, 2004 Sparta to Olympia, NC
NCACVB Oct. 7-8, 2004 TBA
Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter Oct. 14-15, 2004 Greenville, SC
TIA’s Marketing Outlook Forum Oct. 27-29, 2004 Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
NOVEMBER
Ontario Motorcoach Association Nov. 7-10, 2004 Sheraton, Downtown Toronto, Can.
World Travel Market Nov. 8-11, 2004 ExCel, London, UK
NTA’s Annual Convention Nov. 12-16, 2004 Toronto, Ontario
NC Travel & Tourism Board Nov. 16, 2004 Raleigh, NC
DECEMBER
NCACVB Dec. 2-3, 2004 TBA
Association Executives of NC Mid-year Meeting and Trade Show Dec. 8-9, 2004 TBA
North Carolina Film Council Dec. 15, 2004 Raleigh, NC